Door latch



G. W. SLOPA July 11, 1950 noon LATCH Filed Dec. 29. 1947 INVENTOR. Ge'ofi e W.Sl0 d. 7 BY the lever handle I! is grasped and pulled away from the face of the door. The tongue l6 associated with the handle engages against an end wall of the slot 14 in the drawbar II and causes the drawbar to move to the right. This action causes the latch member 22 to pivot in a counter-clockwise direction and effects disengagement of the retaining notch 21 from the keeper 28, as shown in Fig. 2. Upon release of the handle l1 the spring l8 acts to return the handle to normal position and the spring 34 acts on the latch member to return it to normal locking position, as shown in Fig. 1.

It will be un-' stantially intermediate the pivotal axis thereof derstood that the springs I8 and 34 complement each other in their functions, the spring 34 acting at all times to effect a positive closure .of

the door regardless of the condition of the However, should either 'of' the" spring I8.

springs fail in service, closure of the door 8 would still be effected by the remaining spring until the broken spring could be replaced.

QIt is. to be understood that the form of my in vention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the appended claims. r

, I claim:

1. Latching means for retaining a door inv closed position against the door frame, includ-;

atone end to one end of said drawbar, said] latch member having a, retaining notch at its other end adapted for engagement with a keeper carried on the door frame, spring means asso-' ciatedwith said drawbar for urging the same in a direction to effect engagement of said respring means associated with said latch member and acting on the same at a'point between the pivotal axis thereof and said retaining notch and normally urging said notchinto engagement with said keeper.

'2.'Latching means for retaining a. door in. closed position against the door frame, includ-' ing a supporting member mounted on a face of the door adjacent an edge thereof, a drawbar slidably mounted on said supporting member and projecting beyond said door edge, a member mounted on the edge of said door substantially and said retaining notch, spring means associated with said drawbar for urging the same in a direction to effect engagement of said retaining notch with said keeper, separate spring "means associated with said latch member and substantially concealed in said hollow portion and normally urging the retaining notch of said latch -into engagement with said keeper, and

means for disengaging said retainingnotch from said keeper.

4. Latching means forretaining a door' in closed position against the door frame, including a supporting member mounted on a face of thedoor adjacent an edge thereof, a drawbar slidably mounted on said supporting member and projecting beyond said door edge, a member mounted on the edge of said door substantially adjacent said supporting member, a latch member pivotally supported on said last recited member and operatively connected at one end to one end of said drawbar, said latch member having a retaining notch at its other end adapt ed for engagement with a keeper carried on the door frame and having top and bottom portions projecting beyond the vertical inner edges thereof to'form a housing located substantially intermediate the pivotal axis and the retaining notch of said latch, and spring means directly asso- .45 taining notch with said keeper, and separate adjacent said supporting member, a latch member' pivotally supported between its ends on said last recited member and operatively connected, at one end to one end of said drawbar, said 3. Latching means for retaining a door in closed position against the doorframe, include;

ciated with'said'latch member and substantially concealedin said housing and normally urging said retaining latch into cooperative engagement with said keeper. I

5. Latching means for retaining a door in having a, retaining notch at its other end adapted for engagement with a keeper carried on the door frame and having a housing portion substantially intermediate the pivotal axis and the retaining'notch of said latch, and spring means associated with said latch member and substantially concealed in said housing portion and' normally urging the retaining notch into engagement with. said keeper.

GEORGE W. SLOPA.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: I

1 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,256,447 Burke" Sept. 16, 1941. 2,397,671. Larson Apr. 2, 1946 

